Cause and consequence: …tzeagatik and …arekin
The cause in Basque is marked by -gatik — "because of, by reason of": Hotzagatik gaixotu naiz — I fell ill from the cold, literally "by-the-cold ill became I". It glues to the action noun in -tze the same way: Lo gutxiegitagatik, beti nekatuta nago — because of the lack of sleep I am always tired. For example: “Hotzagatik gaixotu naiz asteburuan” — From the cold I fell ill on the weekend. A rule from the Basque…
How it works
The cause in Basque is marked by -gatik — "because of, by reason of": Hotzagatik gaixotu naiz — I fell ill from the cold, literally "by-the-cold ill became I". It glues to the action noun in -tze the same way: Lo gutxiegitagatik, beti nekatuta nago — because of the lack of sleep I am always tired.
The second thread of the cause is …arekin, "with what": a state arrives together with the weather or an event. Euriarekin beti burua min egiten dit — with the rain my head always hurts. And the consequence is gathered by beraz: the reason in front, the conclusion — behind the word "beraz".
Table
| the meaning | the form | the example |
|---|---|---|
| because of what (cause) | …-gatik / …tzeagatik | Hotzagatik gaixotu naiz |
| with what (state) | …arekin | Euriarekin nekatzen naiz |
| the consequence | beraz + conclusion | Beraz, etxean geratuko naiz |
By example
- Hotzagatik gaixotu naiz asteburuanFrom the cold I fell ill on the weekend
- Euriarekin beti burua min egiten ditWith the rain my head always hurts
- Beraz, etxean geratuko naiz gaurSo I will stay home today
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Cause and consequence: how does it work in Basque?
The cause in Basque is marked by -gatik — "because of, by reason of": Hotzagatik gaixotu naiz — I fell ill from the cold, literally "by-the-cold ill became I". It glues to the action noun in -tze the same way: Lo gutxiegitagatik, beti nekatuta nago — because of the lack of sleep I am always tired.
What does it look like in an example sentence Basque?
“Hotzagatik gaixotu naiz asteburuan” — From the cold I fell ill on the weekend. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.